reek 1 of 2

noun

ˈrēk How to pronounce reek (audio)
Definition of reeknext
1
as in stench
a strong unpleasant smell a terrible reek coming from the garbage can

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in haze
an atmospheric condition in which suspended particles in the air rob it of its transparency couldn't see through the reek of smog and smoke surrounding the steel plant

Synonyms & Similar Words

reek

2 of 2

verb

as in to smell
to give off an extremely unpleasant smell those old sneakers reek something awful

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reek
Noun
Pro-housing groups have pointed to the influence of Heebner and other North County leaders to say the new maps’ treatment of Solana Beach and Oceanside reeks of political influence. — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026 This dumb contest reeks of the clueless, insensitive ways of the past. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026
Verb
The Mystic of my childhood, though, had a modicum of edge — kids with anarchy symbols on their jackets skateboarded outside a coffee shop that reeked of weed, and locals got rowdy at a dysfunctional watering hole called the Draw Bridge Inne. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026 The meteorite hurtled over the east coast before crash-landing in a house in Hillsborough, New Jersey where the homeowner found it, reeking of sulfur. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for reek
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reek
  1. stench
  2. haze
  3. smell
  4. fog
  5. stink
  6. cloud
  7. mist
Noun
  • So much grab-and-go sushi has an instantly recognizable stench.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In the weeks after, more than 85 million pounds of rotting food being kept at the cold storage facility began to rot, leaving a putrid stench lingering over the area that led to infestations of rats, flies and other rodents.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of stench
Noun
  • Wildfires in Indonesia are also the source of widespread haze that’s blanketing much of the region and making Southeast Asian cities such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur among the world’s most polluted.
    — Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Given the small-market haze surrounding this matchup, inevitably there will be online discourse about the television ratings for the World Series.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of haze
Verb
  • His creator, an unnamed basket-weaver (Peter Dinklage), braided him as a mate for a lonely virgin, a fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) who stomps around her rustic village smelling like sushi and tossing her head back in an Eliza Doolittle guffaw.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Officials said hunters should watch for signs of infection, including visible maggots in wounds, foul-smelling injuries and animals that appear weak or distressed.
    — Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of smell
Noun
  • The morning fog had lifted as Bates trails one of his delivery trucks and its driver, Lee Wood.
    — Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Oyamel firs thrive in cool, moist, mountainous environments, usually between 1,200 and 4,100 meters (3,940–13,450 feet) above sea level, where fog and precipitation are common.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of fog
Verb
  • In contrast to the gorgeous monochrome visuals, this is a land that stinks of complicity and delusion — of opportunists desperate to scramble onto the right side of history.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • On the Nightcap podcast earlier this week, Chad Ochocino/Johnson and Shannon Sharpe were discussing how much Justin Herbert stinks this year.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of stink
Noun
  • This setup takes shape as the mega-cap cloud platforms Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft report results this week.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Clouse stands, avoiding my eye, and drives off in a cloud of dust.
    — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of cloud
Noun
  • Each fragrance is available as a $49 eau de parfum; a $25 body, hair and linen mist; a $20 solid fragrance that doubles as a bag charm, and a $10 scented candle.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Just keep it to a light mist and clarify regularly, since any styling product can build up on fine strands over time.
    — Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of mist

Browse Nearby Words

reefs
reek
reeked
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Cite this Entry

“Reek.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reek. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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